Fletcher Community Park to get a fitness circuit

By Gary GlancyTimes-News correspondent

Published: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 9:07 p.m.

In addition to swinging a bat or walking a trail, next spring visitors to Fletcher Community Park will also have a chance to do sit-ups, squats and lateral movement drills as part of a structured, full-body workout.

The town of Fletcher and Park Ridge Health have partnered to bring a five-station fitness circuit called ENERGI Total Body Fitness System to the park in April. With the capability of offering up to 120 exercises, ENERGI is designed to promote functional fitness, strength, core development, flexibility and endurance, said Greg Walker, the town's Parks and Recreation director.

"We're real excited because one of the National Recreation and Park Association's big initiatives for the coming year is for community parks to try to provide more community wellness," Walker said. "A lot of parks, particularly in Western North Carolina, have greenway space to help support walking and some of that, but this is a great chance to partner and kind of take it to the next level for community wellness."

Walker said all indications are that the Fletcher Town Council will vote in favor of matching a $6,500 contribution by Park Ridge to pay for the ENERGI equipment during the council's next meeting on Monday, to be paid for through the town's park development fund.

Walker estimated an investment of another $5,000 to $6,000 would be required to pay for the construction of a 42-by-36-foot concrete pad, on which the equipment would be installed.

Graham Fields, assistant to the president for external relations at Park Ridge, said in a statement that community wellness has always been at the heart of Park Ridge's mission, and that by sponsoring the Fletcher park project "we can provide local residents and businesses with innovative new exercise options and health education programs designed to improve the health of our community and its workforce."

The ENERGI system — endorsed by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and praised by Walker as "one of the premier, state-of-the-art pieces out there for outdoor recreational use" — will be available for public use during park hours.

One of its features, Walker said, is that each station will have a QR barcode that users can scan with their mobile phone, which will download a one-minute video of a personal trainer explaining how to perform various exercises from beginner to intermediate to advanced.

However, Walker added that the town plans to make the circuit available to local schools and businesses and also offer wellness classes and group programs to the general public to motivate people to utilize the equipment, and instruct them on how to maximize its benefits.

Walker said the town also is partnering with o3 Health and Fitness in Asheville to offer personal training and group fitness programs, while Park Ridge will provide nutrition classes and community wellness support.

"Our goal is going to be to provide as much class environment to help people be active," he said, "as opposed to, ‘Here's a piece of equipment; come, we hope you use it.'"

Construction of the circuit — located adjacent to the park's arboretum gardens — is expected to begin in March. Walker said the goal is to have the project completed in time to coincide with the grand opening April 7 of a new dog park within Fletcher Park during the Run for the Paws 5K. Morris Broadband kicked in $10,000 for the dog park, Walker said, while the town contributed $12,000.

"So," said Walker, who noted that the park's peak season begins in April, "we're looking forward to a busier than normal spring."

See images of the ENERGI Prime fitness system at http://playworldsystems.com/products/fitnessandwellness.

<p>In addition to swinging a bat or walking a trail, next spring visitors to Fletcher Community Park will also have a chance to do sit-ups, squats and lateral movement drills as part of a structured, full-body workout.</p><p>The town of Fletcher and Park Ridge Health have partnered to bring a five-station fitness circuit called ENERGI Total Body Fitness System to the park in April. With the capability of offering up to 120 exercises, ENERGI is designed to promote functional fitness, strength, core development, flexibility and endurance, said Greg Walker, the town's Parks and Recreation director.</p><p>"We're real excited because one of the National Recreation and Park Association's big initiatives for the coming year is for community parks to try to provide more community wellness," Walker said. "A lot of parks, particularly in Western North Carolina, have greenway space to help support walking and some of that, but this is a great chance to partner and kind of take it to the next level for community wellness."</p><p>Walker said all indications are that the Fletcher Town Council will vote in favor of matching a $6,500 contribution by Park Ridge to pay for the ENERGI equipment during the council's next meeting on Monday, to be paid for through the town's park development fund. </p><p>Walker estimated an investment of another $5,000 to $6,000 would be required to pay for the construction of a 42-by-36-foot concrete pad, on which the equipment would be installed.</p><p>Graham Fields, assistant to the president for external relations at Park Ridge, said in a statement that community wellness has always been at the heart of Park Ridge's mission, and that by sponsoring the Fletcher park project "we can provide local residents and businesses with innovative new exercise options and health education programs designed to improve the health of our community and its workforce."</p><p>The ENERGI system — endorsed by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation and praised by Walker as "one of the premier, state-of-the-art pieces out there for outdoor recreational use" — will be available for public use during park hours. </p><p>One of its features, Walker said, is that each station will have a QR barcode that users can scan with their mobile phone, which will download a one-minute video of a personal trainer explaining how to perform various exercises from beginner to intermediate to advanced.</p><p>However, Walker added that the town plans to make the circuit available to local schools and businesses and also offer wellness classes and group programs to the general public to motivate people to utilize the equipment, and instruct them on how to maximize its benefits. </p><p>Walker said the town also is partnering with o3 Health and Fitness in Asheville to offer personal training and group fitness programs, while Park Ridge will provide nutrition classes and community wellness support.</p><p>"Our goal is going to be to provide as much class environment to help people be active," he said, "as opposed to, 'Here's a piece of equipment; come, we hope you use it.'"</p><p>Construction of the circuit — located adjacent to the park's arboretum gardens — is expected to begin in March. Walker said the goal is to have the project completed in time to coincide with the grand opening April 7 of a new dog park within Fletcher Park during the Run for the Paws 5K. Morris Broadband kicked in $10,000 for the dog park, Walker said, while the town contributed $12,000. </p><p>"So," said Walker, who noted that the park's peak season begins in April, "we're looking forward to a busier than normal spring."</p><p>See images of the ENERGI Prime fitness system at http://playworldsystems.com/products/fitnessandwellness.</p>